- Says document doesn’t tell lies
- Ondo south has only two formidable aspirants, Sen Tofowomo insists
Barr Adebimpe Olatemiju, the Secretary of PDP Governorship Aspirant Forum in Okitipupa Local Government Council in Ondo State, has released a signed document disclosing the alleged signatures of all the governorship aspirants in the local government, endorsing Dr Eddy Olafeso, the National Vice Chairman (Southwest) of the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the sole governorship aspirant of the party in Okitipupa LG.
Starnews NG had reported that all the five governorship aspirants from Okitipupa Council had on April 30, 2020, released a joint statement to inform the public that they did a shadow primary in Ode-Aye and agreed to work for Dr Olafeso after he had emerged with three votes. But Akingboye and Kunlere later dissociated themselves from the exercise and they both issued a separate statement to deny the endorsement.
But in a statement on Friday, Barr Bimpe said it is important to set the record straight by releasing the document and ballot papers signed by all the governorship aspirants on the very faithful day of the exercise where Olafeso was endorsed, because according to him, the document doesn’t tell lies and denials by the duo cannot change the indelible content of the said document.
”It has come to our notice that some of the governorship aspirants from Okitipupa local government who voted in a shadow primary conducted amongst ourselves denied ever participating nor had the knowledge of the shadow primary before that day 30th April 2020.”
”To set the record straight, we believe it is important to let our party leaders and members know how the process went.”
”The meeting was convened as follow up to the several meetings held in a bid to present one aspirant for the party’s primary election.”
”As part of the resolution, we all agreed that our ambition is base on three key issues which includes rehabilitation, reconciliation and restoration of hope to the masses.”
”Base on the above, we resolved to conduct a gentleman shadow primary election amongst ourselves. At the end of the historic exercise, Dr Eddy olafeso emerged to represent other aspirants from Okitipupa local government area at the forthcoming party’s primary.”
”The result of the shadow primary is as follows; Dr Eddy Olafeso had 3 votes, Senator Boluwaji Kunlere had 1 vote, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye (OBA) had 1 vote while Engr. Ogunwa Omoniyi-Oboli FCA and Barr. Bimpe Olatemiju had no vote.”
”Attached are the used ballot papers of votes cast signed by each aspirant.”
”It’s is laughable and unimaginable for governorship aspirants seeking to occupy the esteemed office of the governor of our state to deny a shadow primary they voluntarily participated with their two eyes wide open.”
”It is trite in law and settled in jurisprudence that what a man consent to does not bring injury any longer.”volenti non fit injuria” and documents don’t lie neither can oral testimony or denial of parties change the indelible content of a document.”
”I, therefore, reaffirm our earlier collective position that the shadow primary was credible, free and fair and devoid of any iota of manipulation. And I am using this medium to appeal to all esteemed leaders and delegates of our great party PDP to support Dr Eddy olafeso in his bid to emerge as the gubernatorial candidate of our party in the forthcoming primary election,” he said:
In the Guardian Newspaper report of May 18, 2020, more than nine months ago, the opposition party had over 17 aspirants across the three senatorial districts, with the highest gladiators coming from the South District, which has been the stronghold of the party since 1999.
Okitipupa and Ilaje Local Government Areas in the South District have been the political headquarters of the party in the state with eight governorship aspirants jostling to dislodge ruling APC.
From Okitipupa, which had produced late Dr. Olusegun Agagu as governor from 2003-2009, are PDP South-West Chairman, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, Senator Boluwaji Kunlere, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye, Engr. Ogunwa Oboli and Barr. Bimpe Olatemiju seeking to clinch the party’s ticket.
Ilaje, the riverine and oil hub of the state whose indigenes hinge the expediency for the race on the fact that they have never produced a governor, has two former council chairmen: Banji Okunomo and Chief Sola Ebiseni, and Chief Ola Mafo in the race.
But Okunomo, who is also the immediate past state PDP Publicity Secretary, was endorsed as the consensus candidate for the poll by the party’s executives in Ilaje LGA to the displeasure of some persons. But PDP’s Secretary in Ilaje Council, Evangelist Banjo Ikunogbon, reaffirmed that the decision was collectively taken by executive members across the 12 wards so as to have a formidable front in proper preparation for the poll.
According to him, 21 party executives and other 35 ward executives in the council, who signed the document to validate the party’s decision, preferred Okunomo above other aspirants which has reduced the number of governorship aspirants from Ilaje to one just like aspirants from Okitipupa local government were also pruned to one.
While reacting to the displeasure of those opposed to Okunomo’s emergence as the sole candidate, the PDP Scribe in Ilaje said: “For the record, there was no place the excos denied such an endorsement. We challenge anyone to provide to the public a joint denial paper signed by the 21 of us to substantiate this claim. There was no one that pulled out from this arrangement put in place to have one governorship aspirant from the local government.”
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District at the Senate, Nicholas Tofowomo, has said that out of the arrays of PDP aspirants in the state, only two of them in Ondo South are formidable for the race.
This might not be unconnected with the exercise conducted by the two local governments of Ilaje and Okitipupa to prune down the number of governorship aspirants from Ondo South.
Tofowomo, in a statement through his media Aide, Mr Olumide Akinrinlola on Tuesday in Okitipupa, advised the leadership of the PDP to zone the ticket of the party to Ondo South, adding that zoning the party ticket to the district would give PDP an easy ride to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Oct. 10 governorship polls.
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